If you asked me what the single most important thing you could do in your space to encourage good Feng Shui is, I would say to simply surround yourself with what you love. A room filled with colors, furniture, artwork and accents that resonate beauty to you, and remind you of good times will automatically raise your vibration, and uplift and nourish you. Easy breezy: Move stuff on that you don't love, highlight the stuff you do love. Now you've found your happy place.

But what happens when you live with someone that likes different things, or likes to keep their space in a different way? What do you do when you feel like other peoples stuff is messing with your good chi?! Maybe your husband's collection of beer steins in the family room is the ugliest thing in the world to you. Maybe your room mate is a clutter bug and you're a neat-nik. What can be done so that everyone who shares the space can be honored and supported and feel good in the space?

Opening up communications lines is key here. Talk about your awareness of how space can affect all aspects of your life and why it's important to you to live with and take good care of what you love. There are lots of people that aren't familiar with chi, or feng shui, or how their homes and possessions can impact them. They may be grateful you've enlightened them. (Or not!) Also discuss what you love and why you love it and ask the person about the things they keep and why they keep it. Talk about the items in question. Understand where everyone is coming from regarding the stuff they keep.

When it comes to the items and behavior in question look for ways to compromise. Hopefully your room mate will honor what they've learned about you and keep their clutter corralled in more private spaces while the shared spaces can be neatened up. Ideally your husband will realize he doesn't love those steins so much anyway and will pass them on (yah right!!!). Okay, maybe he'll realize how heavily the steins weigh on you and move them to his office or man room instead of a space where you spend so much time. Or maybe you'll hear his stories about the steins and fall a little more in love with them and want them to stay. (It's possible!)

Sometimes it's best to take a vote. If you both love it - it stays. If you both are "eh" about it or can agree that it's not that important - it goes. If one likes and one dislikes then it's great if a new location can be found for it, where it can still be enjoyed and honored by the owner, while not being such a bother to someone else. Compromise is key, and easier to accomplish with good open communication and compassion.

If you've tried your best to encourage change but can't rally your housemates then simply put your attention on the things that are yours, that you have control over, and let the rest go. When you stop giving the unwanted stuff energy it will fade into the background. Rest assured that you've done the best you can to create a space that supports you. Enjoy the ease and flow that comes to you and your life areas. Maybe the space and life you create will be such an example that others will be encouraged to change and shift eventually too.

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Author

Kerri is the founder of Feng Shui Pathways (formerly Holistic Living Resources). Using a combination of tools including Feng Shui, Aromatherapy, Coaching, Organizing and Space Clearing she works with clients to create spaces that are comfortable, functional, supportive and inspiring. Kerri offers workshops and is available for speaking engagements on the topic of Feng Shui.